Residents distraught after second West Bloomfield sibling dies following tragic boating accident in Keego Harbor

Ken Hurst, Keego Harbor Police Chief, with the damaged towable tube that was struck by another boat on Sylvan Lake Sunday that left one child dead and two children critically injured, pictured Monday July 15, 2013. (Oakland Press Photo:Vaughn Gurganian)

John Newberry had just slipped into the water near his pontoon boat Sunday around noon when he saw a boat strike children tubing in Sylvan Lake.

Newberry, a Keego City Council member, said he was 50 yards from the accident that claimed the life of an 11-year-old boy, Alexander Mansour. The boy's two sisters, Gabrielle, 6, and Adriana, 10, were seriously injured and in critical condition Sunday.

The West Bloomfield School District said Gabrielle died Monday.

"I told my wife to get into the boat and call 911," Newberry said.

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The Newberrys hurried over to the accident.

"I pulled the 6-year-old into the boat," Newberry said, adding the boy's father, John Mansour, also got onto his boat.

"I checked her pulse, ripped off her life jacket and was ready to do CPR when she gasped." Newberry said the girl had a pulse.

He said doctors and other medical personnel got onto the boat to help out. A nearby ski boat driver picked up the 11-year-old and the 10-year-old to help them.

"We were yelling back and forth," Newberry said. "It's all a blur."

Eventually paramedics arrived and took the children to McLaren Oakland Hospital in Pontiac. Newberry helped where he could Sunday, securing the boats with law enforcement.

"I'm still in shock," he said Monday morning.

"It's a tremendous tragedy for this to happen. Prayers go out to everybody involved. I'm praying for the two children.

Oakland County Sheriff's Office deputies said the boy's father was on a personal watercraft towing the children on a large tube traveling north to south when a boat traveling west to east hit the tube, striking all three children.

Both the father and the boat operator, a 56-year-old Sylvan Lake man, stopped and started to render aid.

The three children were taken to the shoreline and CPR was started.

At the hospital, the 11-year-old was pronounced dead, and the two girls were transported to Royal Oak Beaumont Hospital where they were listed in critical condition.

The investigation is ongoing by the Sheriff's Office Marine Unit. One police official said there was no spotter on the personal watercraft. Alcohol does not appear to be a factor in the accident.

The boater who struck the children told police he didn't see them.

"The girls are struggling. They are not doing well," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said Monday afternoon.

Time to talk about lake safety

Keego Harbor Mayor Sidney Rubin hurried over to Rustic Lane in Keego when he learned of the accident.

"So many people were in shock," he said.

People are still "distraught," he said. "We are a very small community."

The boy and his family have a summer home in Keego, but live in West Bloomfield Township the rest of the year, officials said.

Rubin, who lives on Cass Lake, said the lakes were "unusually crowded" Sunday as temperatures soared to near 90.

"We who live on lakes recognize the dangerous situations that can spring up from nowhere," he said.

He said Sylvan Lake does not have marine patrol.

The Oakland County Medical Examiner's Office reported that the boy, Alexander Mansour, died of multiple blunt force trauma, adding that the manner of death was accidental.

Rubin said he wants to reach out to Sylvan Lake city officials to discuss marine patrols.

"This is an opportunity to discuss option of improving safety on both Cass Lake and Sylvan Lake," said Rubin. Cass Lake does have a marine patrol, supplied by Keego Harbor.

"What was planned as a fun day turned so tragic," Bouchard said. "As we continue to investigate what caused this tragedy, our thoughts and prayers are with the family."

Sylvan Lake City Manager John Martin stated, "How quickly a beautiful and joyous day turned to sorrow. Our hearts and prayers go out to all of the families involved in this tragedy, including those who responded to help."

Police have not announced any tickets or citations being issued in the accident.

"You can't deny families the pleasure of enjoying the lake but we can contribute to providing safety whenever possible," Rubin said.

People who spoke with The Oakland Press said both Keego and Sylvan Lake residents were extremely upset by the accident. "No one slept last night," one said.

FYI

The Oakland County Sheriff's Office asks that anyone who witnessed the boating accident to please call at 248-858-4911.

A vigil for the Mansour family will be at St. Mary's Grotto, 3535 Indian Trail in Orchard Lake at 6 p.m. Tuesday.